Fine for shooting Marco Polo sheep in Kyrgyzstan raised to one million soms, director of the State Agency for Environmental Protection and Forestry Abdykalyk Rusatamov told 24.kg news agency.

According to him, in addition to the fine, the payment for the permitted shooting of Marco Polo sheep, which since January 1, 2018 will be 700,000 soms, is also increased.

«Prior to that, payment for the license was 450,000 soms, which was $ 10,000, but due to inflation, we raised the amount to 700,000 soms, which is also $ 10,000,» Abdykalyk Rustamov said.

In addition, as he noted, the shooting of the snow leopard and even the storage of its hide entail the imposition of a fine of 1.5 million soms.

«Even if a person who has a leopard skin in his house or car, says he has found or bought it, this will not be an excuse. He will still pay a fine. Last year, one was fined for shooting a leopard by 500,000 soms, and the fine was fully collected,» he said.

According to him, since 2013, only one fact of illegal shooting of the snow leopard was recorded in Kyrgyzstan.